Putin calls for six conditions to be met if war is to end
With the official launch of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the world condemned it as unjust and the various sanctions imposed have put Russia in a difficult position internally. During the Russian military offensive in Kiev, Putin presented six conditions for ending the war, which political commentators described as a set of conditions that could not be negotiated. According to the ABC, Putin’s terms for ending the war are as follows: 1) Ukraine should not enter NATO and maintain a neutral position. 2) Crimea should be recognized as a territory of Russia. 3) Independence of the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. 4) Ukraine must abandon any weapons that pose a threat to Russia and stop militarization. 5) There must be a change in the leadership of Ukraine or a change of government. 6) Russian should be made the second official language of Ukraine and any law prohibiting its use should be repealed.
The price of a cup of milk tea will be increased to Rs. 100
The All Ceylon Restaurant Owners’ Association says that the price of a cup of milk tea will have to be increased to Rs. 100 due to the prevailing conditions. The President of the Association Asela Sampath stated that the supply of milk tea in restaurants will also have to be suspended. He further stated that this situation has arisen due to the increase in the price of milk powder and the shortage of gas.
International telephone call rates have been increased
International telephone call rates have been increased. Secretary to the Ministry of Technology Jayantha de Silva stated that the telephone companies have informed the Ministry about this. Telephone companies have increased international call charges in the wake of the rupee depreciating by about 30 percent against the dollar. However, no approval has been given to increase local call or internet charges, the technology ministry secretary said.
Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka -Permission to obtain assistance from private commercial banks to open letters of credit for fuel
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has been allowed to seek the assistance of private commercial banks to obtain the required dollars from state-owned banks to open letters of credit for the purchase of fuel. A spokesman for the Ministry of Energy stated that the permission was granted during a discussion held at the Ministry of Finance recently. Accordingly, in the future, the Petroleum Corporation will be able to assist state-owned banks in opening letters of credit for the purchase of fuel by purchasing dollars from private commercial banks at daily exchange rates, a ministry spokesman said. A ministry spokesman added that the situation was due to the fact that state banks did not have enough dollars to pay for fuel tankers due to the appreciation of the dollar against the rupee. In that situation, it has not been possible to release a fuel tanker that arrived in the country on the 14th. According to the Ministry of Energy, the ship, which arrived from Singapore, had 20,000 metric tons of jet fuel and 20,000 metric tons of diesel. The Ministry of Energy stated that the ship had to pay $ 42.7 million and $ 18,000 per day as delay charges.
Ukrainian President requested the Swiss government to suspend the bank accounts of all Russian billionaires.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky has requested the Swiss government to suspend the bank accounts of all Russian billionaires. Selensky noted that the money of those who waged the war was deposited in Swiss banks. Although not a member of the European Union, Switzerland has recognized the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russian individuals and institutions. The Ukrainian president has said he wants everyone to listen, saying the time is right for talks with Russia. He declared that the time had come to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The President of Ukraine said that if not, it would take many more years to build the country that Russia would destroy. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed at a rally in Moscow on Monday that all goals would be achieved. At least 228 people, including four children, have been killed in attacks in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev. City officials said another 912 people were injured. According to a UN Human Rights Council report, 847 Ukrainians have been killed since the start of the Russian offensive. The number of injured is 1399.
Today’s power cut schedule
The Public Utilities Commission will announce the power cuts today (19) Accordingly, the power cut is as follows. Zones P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W – 30 minutes from 09.00 am to 05.00 pm and 30 minutes from 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm Zones A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L – 2 hours and 30 minutes from 08.00 am to 06.00 pm and 15 minutes from 6.00 pm to 11.00 pm
Companies have not been paid .. Supplies are stopped .. Hospital laboratory tests are stopped, in Sri Lanka
According to the Federation of Health Professionals, the Ministry of Health owes about Rs. 1 billion for essential medical supplies procured from private companies. As such, the companies have decided to suspend the supply of medical supplies to the Ministry of Health, said the President of the Association Ravi Kumudesh. He also says that there is a risk of stopping laboratory tests due to that. He also said that some tests have already been stopped due to the lack of a response to the laboratory tests. He also alleges that despite this situation, the Ministry of Health is buying certain medical equipment at exorbitant prices.
Ambassadors of 14 Western countries request the Sri Lankan Government to assist in raising their voices on behalf of Ukraine
Ambassadors from 14 Western countries have called on the government to help raise its voice in Ukraine. They emphasized that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was unacceptable. They, therefore, call on Sri Lanka to join Ukraine and in active support for international peace and security. A joint statement issued by the 14 Ambassadors to Sri Lanka stressed and request Sri Lanka to join them in urging Russia to end its hostilities immediately. The statement added that they would work with their friends around the world to ensure the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a joint statement that they were with Ukraine for independence, democracy and the sovereignty of nations around the world. The High Commissioner of Australia, High Commissioner of Canada, Representative of the European Union, Ambassador of France, Ambassador of Germany, Ambassador of Italy, Ambassador of the Netherlands, New Zealand High Commissioner, Ambassador of Norway, Ambassador of Japan, Ambassador of Romania, Signed by the Ambassador of Switzerland. In addition, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and the Ambassador to the United States have signed the joint statement.
There is a possibility of new corona variants being reported again .. – Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health says that there is still a possibility of new coronaviruses being reported again. Dr. Ranjith Batuwantudawa, Director of the Health Promotion Bureau, said that the corona disease has not gone away 100%. He also said that only 53% of the target group had received the booster vaccine. Dr Sonali Ranatunga, a specialist in the dental care unit of the Maharagama Oral Health Institute, said that dental care has already commenced in all hospitals in the country affected by the corona outbreak.
Sri lankans in overseas declare that they are going to refrain from sending dollars to Sri Lanka until the end of this regime and the emergence of a credible pro-people government in the country
Overseas Sri Lankans for Change (CHRI) said in a statement that they would refrain from sending dollars to Sri Lanka until the end of this regime and the emergence of a credible pro-people government in the country. The announcement also states: First of all, as Sri Lankans living abroad, we express our opposition to the statement made by the President of Sri Lanka Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to the nation on 16.03.2022. Also, Sri Lanka is currently mired in a severe economic crisis and the lives of the people have become unsustainable. We believe that in such a moment the President of a country should make a more responsible intervention. But the president’s speech stated that he was not responsible for any of this and that other parties and world conditions were the cause of the crisis. Although the President said that this was a situation that had befallen every country in the world due to the covid epidemic, war and other causes, we have personally witnessed that the rest of the world has quickly managed the problems that have arisen as a result. Therefore, the President’s claim that the covid epidemic and other world conditions are the cause of the crisis in Sri Lanka is a very false and irresponsible statement that misleads the people. While acknowledging that managing the country’s economy is the responsibility of the government, the President should state to the country what the government’s solutions are. But it is ridiculous to simply wait for the country’s foreign exchange crisis to be resolved with remittances from expatriate Sri Lankans. We know that this crisis did not arise due to non-arrival of tourists, non-repatriation of Sri Lankans abroad or negligence on the part of the people of the country. It is the rulers of the country, including the current President, who have taken steps to keep the children and relatives of our families abroad who have sent dollars to the country, in gas queues, oil queues and without electricity. We wasted that money, cheated and used it for their own benefit even when the country was collapsing by the politicians who were in power and still are. Therefore, as Sri Lankans living abroad who have so far sent dollars to the country, we declare that we will refrain from sending dollars until the end of this regime and the emergence of a corrupt and pro – people government that we can trust.